In its skeleton argument over costs, the publisher said the celebrities would have “no interest in the costs being charged by their respective lawyers” because of their “no win, no fee” arrangements. MGN does not have this agreement.

According to The Guardian, Mr Justice Mann “appeared to agree” with MGN when it highlighted the costs and number of barristers – four – acting for the claimants and described this as “plainly disproportionate”.

The judge said: “Is any of this litigation proportionate? At one level, all these costs are disproportionate for the claims being brought….

“There are still serious questions in relation to the proportionality of individual costs.”